The Anasara ritual of Bhagwan Jagannath is a significant observance in the Jagannath Temple at Puri, Odisha, and forms an integral part of the
Ratha Yatra (Chariot Festival) cycle.
What is Anasara?
"Anasara" or "Anavasara" means "no viewing". It refers to the period when the deities — Bhagwan Jagannath, Bhagwan Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra — withdraw from public view for 15 days.
This occurs after the Snana Purnima, the bathing festival where the deities are ceremonially bathed with 108 pots of sacred water. During Anasara Daitapati Servitors are only allowed perform all the rituals of Bhagwan.
Mythological significance of Ansar
According to tradition, after this elaborate bath (Snana Yatra), the deities fall ill due to the heavy bathing. They are taken into seclusion, much like a human being recovering from fever. This marks the beginning of Anasara.
They are believed to suffer from a type of fever called "fever of divine beings", and are treated with Ayurvedic medicines and herbs by the Raj Vaidya (royal physician).
Description of the Ansar ritual
❀ Duration: 15 days after Snana Purnima.
❀ Location: The deities are kept in the Anasara Ghar, a secret chamber inside the temple.
❀ Public Access: No one, not even the regular priests, is allowed to view the deities during this time, except for a few designated Daitapatis (servitors).
❀ Food Offerings: Special pana (medicinal drinks) and light foods like Dasamula Modaka are offered.
❀ Darshan Substitute: Devotees instead worship a Pattachitra (traditional cloth painting) image of Bhagwan Jagannath known as "Anasara Patti".
Anasara Offerings:
❀ Anasara Pana Bhoga – A Healing Offering
During Bhagwan Jagannath's Anasar period after Snaan Purnima, when the deity is believed to fall ill due to the ritual bath, he is offered light, medicinal food to aid his recovery. One of the most important offerings during this time is ‘Ansar Pana’, a sweet, milk-based drink. It serves as a symbolic form of nourishment, just as humans take a liquid diet during illness.
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Dasamula Modaka – The Divine Ayurvedic Medicine for Bhagwan Jagannath During Anasara
During the sacred Anasara period of Bhagwan Jagannath in the Puri Jagannath Temple, one of the most spiritually and ritually significant Ayurvedic medicines offered is the Dasamula Modaka. It plays a vital role in the divine healing process of the deities. Dasamula Modaka is a traditional Ayurvedic formulation made from ten potent roots known collectively as "Dasamula" (Dasa = ten, Mula = roots) and prepared in the form of modaka (herbal boluses or pills). It is part of the daily treatment administered to the deities during their symbolic illness after the Snana Yatra.
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Phuluri Tela – The Sacred Medicinal Oil of Bhagwan Jagannath During Anasara
Phuluri Tela is a traditional herbal oil used in the Jagannath Temple, Puri, during the Anasara period—the 15-day seclusion following Snana Purnima, when the deities fall symbolically ill after their ceremonial bath. This sacred oil plays a vital role in the Ayurvedic treatment of Bhagwan Jagannath, Bhagwan Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra, much like a healing balm applied to patients recovering from illness.
The concept mirrors human healing practices, demonstrating the profound humanization and accessibility of the Jagannath tradition. Bhagwan Jagannath is not just worshipped as a god, but as a family member, whose illness, treatment, and recovery are observed with tender care and reverence.
After the Anasara period, the deities emerge fully recovered and resplendent during the Ratha Yatra, where they travel to the Gundicha Temple in massive wooden chariots.